Alaskan Gulf, During our spring cruise we found large numbers of them 

 off the Mt, Fairweather region where they had undoubtedly wintered. Al- 

 though I made inquiry at that tirae of all hunters both v/hite and native 

 met with and had a careful lookout kept from the vessel at all times, I 

 could not learn of any number r.t old bulls having been seen south of the 

 southern limit of Alaska and only vague rumors of a limited number being 

 taken as far south as Forrester Island near Dixon's Entrance, Polu-sek'- 

 atch or half-grown bulls are often erroneously called "Old bulls" by the 

 white hunters, the name being properly applied to the old nales inhabiting 

 the breeding rookeries. The old bulls are very large, weighing from six 

 to eight hundred pounds, perhaps more, Tv/o were taken by the "CORWIN'S" 

 hunters from the herd enccuntorod off the Mt, Fairweathor region, the 

 polts of which wGighid sixty-one and sixty -fiire pounds rospcctivoly. 



Individuals of tho Polu-sck'atch are sometimea found with the 

 migrating herd of cows, young males and pups but by far the greater number 

 of them as well as many of the larger Holosty'ak remain in Bering Sea or 

 in the waters off the Coast of Alaska all winter. They are seen during 

 the winter by the natives of Bolkofsky, Unga, and Sand Point when ou.t 

 sea otter hunting and arc both seen and taken by the Sanak. natives through- 

 out the v/intor. Many Holosty'ak caid Polu-sok-tatch remain upon the Pribilof 

 Islands until the ice comes down, and drives the fish away when they must 

 search for other feeding grounds. As I have stated in a former report to 

 the Hon, Secretary of the Treasury, I landed upon St, Paul's Island 

 about the 24th of January, 1886 and was inforraed that a "drive" had been 

 made the day previous and a largo number of Holosty'ak (about one thousand) 

 killed. 



But a few male seals of more tlian four years of ago accompany tho 

 migrating herd on its voyage across the Pacific, A large percentage of 

 all the adult male portion of the fur seal herd i-emain in Alaskan waters 

 throughout the year, spending the time from May until October upon tho 

 Pribilof Islands and tho balance of tho year in Boring Sea and the Pacific 

 Ocean near tho Alaskan Coast, The great migrating herd consisting of 

 Mat'kah, Molodaya, Holosty'ak, and Kotook begins to go through the passes 

 about October 22nd, Tho invariable .answer made by the natives to the 

 q.ucstion "What time do tho cows, young mclcs and pups begin to go through 

 the passes?" was "Desya' travo Octy a bri'ya" - October 10th old style 

 or October 22nd new style. At first they are seen in very sniall nujubers; 

 as a rule I think but a few stray individuals go through the passes before 

 the first of November and tho herd is not fairly upon the move before tho 

 tenth. 



I , While cruising near tho passes during October, wc saw but five seals 

 in all. On October 20th, two vrare seen an adult and a pup in the Bering 

 Sea near Unimak Pass, They had apparently no intenti-;n of going out at 

 once as they were playing and were in reality swinmiing avjay from the pass 

 when seen. On October 22nd, two more seals were seen as before an adult 

 and a pup ir. the south end of False Pass, conmonly called Moraovia Straits; 

 just entering the Pacific, On the sarao day some hours later a sinr^lo adult 

 seal ¥;as soon noar Araagat Island a few miles east of False Pass, It had 

 doubtless come through the pass. 



On November 3rd, while cruising in the vicinit^r of Four Mountain and 



..- 41,- 



